Getting a glimpse of work life: St Andrew’s boys head out to 54 organisations after exams

SINGAPORE - Until recently, Secondary 3 student Kawin Ho had been unsure whether to take the junior college route or pursue a diploma at a polytechnic.

But the 15-year-old from St Andrew’s School (Secondary) (SASS) has always been fascinated by how aircraft engineers turn their ideas into flying vehicles.

His mind is now set on pursuing an aerospace-related field in polytechnic after spending four days at Aether – a lab at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) set up in partnership with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) to test new technologies for the military’s needs.

Kawin was one of 294 Sec 3 students from SASS who attended the school’s first compulsory four-day work experience programme, held from Oct 21 to 24.

Alongside RSAF engineers and SUTD students, Kawin and five of his schoolmates learnt about aircraft maintenance, drone technology and 3D simulations, among other areas.

The experience gave him a glimpse into the aerospace industry, strengthening his resolve to work towards a career in this field.

“Junior college seems like an extension of secondary school, but I can learn subjects more specifically related to aerospace engineering if I go to a polytechnic instead,” he said.

SASS principal Lee Han Hwa said students usually take part in post-exam activities like learning journeys and life skills programmes.

But, in 2025, the school wanted to expose them to the working world.

“As the boys progress to Sec 4 next year, this opportunity will also allow them to better draw connections between school and work as they make informed choices about their post-secondary pathways and career choices,” said Mr Lee.

Schools which offer the six-year Integrated Programme have similar job shadowing stints for Year 4 and Year 5 students.

Securing placements for all 294 boys was no walk in the park.

At the start of 2025, a team of three teachers was tasked to plan this programme, by reaching out to alumni, board members and parents to find organisations willing to take in SASS’ students.

“Some organisations felt that the boys were too young, while others were not able to match the given schedule,” said Mr Lee.

It took about six months before the school secured spots at 54 organisations across industries from food and beverage to legal services and aerospace.

Said Mr Lee: “We looked for organisations that would mentor, not just host, our boys. It was important that placements were safe, supportive and purposeful, across various sectors.”

SASS intends to make the programme an annual fixture, citing positive feedback from students and parents.

“Parents are appreciative of the programme that gives their sons a taste of the working world and the opportunity to learn new skills which the classrooms may not necessarily offer,” Mr Lee said.

Lawyers do more than litigate in court

As an avid fan of American legal drama programmes like Suits, Puneet Kishore, 15, felt drawn to being a lawyer. But he knew it could not be as glamorous and exciting as portrayed on television.

“I wanted to try it out for myself and see what being a lawyer would be like,” he said.

Puneet and two schoolmates had a taste of what goes on in a law firm – at PK Wong & Nair – where four out of five of the directors are old boys of SASS.

Their mentor, lawyer Naomi See, said the students were able to see the amount of preparatory work lawyers do each day.

“It’s a lot of paperwork. You spend a lot of time behind your desk, typing, on calls with clients. You’re not always going out to meet people or arguing in court. There’s a lot of prep work behind the scenes,” she said.

Unlike school, where students have breaks and shift between lesson venues, getting used to the rigour of a full working day in a law firm was also challenging for the boys.

But the stint has reinforced Puneet’s interest to join the legal profession.

“One important thing (I need to do) is definitely maintain my grades so that I can get into university to get a law degree... I will still continue to research and keep up with the evolving law system as I work my way to this job role,” he said.

Discovering different careers in sports

When Michael Cheng, 15, heard his uncle, a professional photographer, talk about how exhausting his work was, he was puzzled.

After spending four days photographing a rugby clinic organised by the Singapore Rugby Union (SRU), he understood why.

“These few days, I was very drained out because I had to move around a lot, and it was very sunny and hot. I was sweating a lot, so I realise stamina is key in photography,” said Michael.

Michael and 24 of his schoolmates were attached to SRU’s rugby training event for youth at Tanglin Trust School, which involved 100 participants aged 10 to 18.

Mr Sidney Kumar, an old boy of SASS and SRU’s general manager, said the students were allocated roles across three areas – social media and marketing, coaching, and logistics and administration.

“Many of them already play rugby for the school, but we wanted to show them what happens behind the scenes when it comes to training and competitions,” he said.

Jerry Yeo, 15, who plays rugby for SASS, said the coaching stint helped broaden his understanding of career options beyond office jobs, and gave him a glimpse into working in a professional rugby setting.

“I appreciate the sport more now... Especially being a part of the people running the event, not just as a participant or athlete,” said Jerry.